Govt to promote cyber security courses as it pushes for a safe digital economy

The government’s push for a less-cash economy might offer better career prospects for those aspiring to become cyber security experts.

Union minister of information technology and law, Ravi Shankar Prasad, has instructed the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) to start cyber security courses for students.

This is part of a slew of measures taken by the IT ministry to prepare for the challenges likely to come up as the country moves towards a cashless economy.

The NIELIT, an autonomous scientific society under the ministry, is engaged in capacity building in IT and communications.

“In the coming five years, we propose to bring up 1.14 lakh qualified professionals who will be involved in creating cyber security awareness campaigns,” Prasad told HT.

The incidents of cyber security breaches in the country as reported to the computer emergency response team- India (CERT-In) — which engages in 24x7 monitoring of internet traffic in the country — have ranged between 45,000 and 50,000 every year since 2014.

After the recall of high-value notes on November 8, the government has given a big push to digital transactions, bringing focus to its safety aspects.

Prasad said the standardisation testing and quality certification (STQC) would offer testing facility to those who are in the business of distributing money.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), for instance, is in the process of developing an Android-based Aadhaar-enabled payment system. The app will be certified by the STQC.

The ministry has set up a digital payment division in the ministry of electronics and IT to focus on safety aspects.

“We are also reviewing the IT Act and rules to see how we can strengthen data security,” said Prasad, who plans to convene a meeting of stakeholders, including smartphone manufacturers, to discuss the issue.

“We are planning cyber security campaigns. We will hold workshops on digital payments,” he said.

A chief information technology officer (CITO) will be appointed in every ministry and department at the Centre to act as an interface with CERT-In in matters relating to cyber security.